Although Saint Anne is not mentioned in the Bible, she is the holy mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. When we pray the St. Anne Novena, we are asking help from our Blessed Mother’s mother!
Devotion to St. Anne began early in the history of the Catholic Church. As she was favored by God to become the mother of the holy Virgin Mary, she is often invoked as the Patron of mothers as well as for relationships, grandmothers, women in labor, and those struggling with infertility. People facing challenges in these areas may seek her help and guidance through a novena. Many believers have said they have met their future spouse through her intercession of this novena.
Praying a novena to St. Anne can strengthen one’s connection to the Holy Family and invite her maternal care. The story of Saint Anne’s own struggles, particularly her years of barrenness and eventual conception of Mary, serves as a source of inspiration and hope. These prayers lead to increased trust in God’s plan and the belief that even seemingly impossible situations can be overcome through faith and perseverance.
St. Anne was born in Bethlehem and married Saint Joachim, a shepherd from Nazareth, in Galilee. The name Anne finds its origins in the Hebrew name Hannah, meaning grace. While historical records about the life of St. Anne are scarce, our understanding of her comes from apocryphal writings, historical accounts, and legends.
St. Anne and St. Joachim were married for many years without being able to have children. Amidst sorrow about their inability to conceive, they both separately prayed for God to take away their infertility, promising that they would dedicate their child to the service of God.
Their prayers were heard. An angel appeared before them, announcing that St. Anne would conceive and bear a child, destined to bring blessings upon the world. This child was named Mary, who has since become our revered Virgin Mother. Following Mary’s birth, St. Anne and St. Joachim presented her to God at the temple in Jerusalem.
O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me!
I come to you today knowing that you know what it’s like to wait on God to answer your heart’s greatest desires.
I come to you today asking that you will ask God to grant my petition the way that He granted yours.
I ask that you pray, St. Anne, to ask Our Lord to have mercy and favor on me.
Please pray for…
(Mention your intentions here).
But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. Amen.
O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me!
I come to you today knowing that you waited for decades for God to answer your prayer.
I ask that you pray for me to have greater trust in God’s plan while I wait for His answer to my prayer.
I ask that you pray for me to wait with hope as you did, and to wait with greater faith.
Please pray that God will give me the strength to establish the certainty in my mind that He does love me, and that He does have a special plan for me.
Please pray for…
(Mention your intentions here).
But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. Amen.
O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me!
I come to you today asking that you pray for me to see God’s goodness in my life, just the way that it is.
It is easy for me to forget about the blessings that do exist in my life while I pray for another one.
It is easy for me to forget about the beauty that does exist in my life while I focus on what is lacking.
Instead, I ask you to please pray for me today that I may be present in each moment, and that I may be open to seeing God’s goodness, beauty, and loving hand in my day — just as it is.
Please pray that I may be able to live in the present, and not to dwell on the past or the future.
Please pray for…
(Mention your intentions here).
But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. Amen.
O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me!
I come to you today asking that you will pray today for my relationship with our Lord.
I realize that there are many times I fail to come to Him.
I know that I should give Him more of my time.
I want to have a better relationship with Him.
Please pray that I will not turn away from God during this time of waiting for my answered prayer. On the contrary, please pray that I will use this time to grow closer to Him; to devote more of my time, more of my heart and more of my mind to Him.
Please pray that I will become better at looking to Him and turning to Him in everything.
Please pray for…
(Mention your intentions here).
But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. Amen.
O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me!
I come to you today asking that you will pray that the love in my heart will grow continuously for our Lord.
It is too easy for me to be lured and tempted by the things of this world, and sometimes, even by the things my heart desires most.
I ask that you help me to remember that this world is my ship and not my home, and please pray that I may keep my eyes focused on the Lord and on eternity in Heaven.
Please pray for…
(Mention your intentions here).
But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. Amen.
O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me!
I come to you today with my heartache and pain. It hurts right now to not have what I most desire. It hurts to feel as though God has forgotten me in my waiting.
I ask that you pray for me today that God will heal the hurt that exists within me, and that He will use the suffering that I have been enduring, for His greater glory.
Please help me, St. Anne, to not waste my suffering, but to instead, lay it at the foot of the cross and carry it courageously throughout my days.
Please pray that Jesus will relieve even an ounce of the pain I feel, and that He will accept my suffering, and use it as He wills. Please pray that He will teach me to love through this cross.
Please pray for…
(Mention your intentions here).
But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. Amen.
O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me!
I come to you today feeling weighted by the burden of my cross. I ask that you please pray that God will help me carry this cross, and that He will send me friends and family — a community — to help me carry it.
And in turn, please help me to carry their crosses as well.
Please pray for…
(Mention your intentions here).
But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. Amen.
O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me!
I come to you today knowing that I have looked all too often to things and people other than God for my hope and consolation and support.
Please pray that God forgives me for those times.
And please pray that I will learn in this waiting to trust in Him alone.
Please help me to remember God’s mercy and His love for me, and please help me to pray, “Jesus I trust in You,” every single day.
St. Anne, please pray that God alone will be my ultimate source of hope, support and comfort.
Please pray for…
(Mention your intentions here).
But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. Amen.
O St. Anne, you are my spiritual grandmother. Please pray for me!
I come to you today asking that you pray for me to become more grateful.
Too many of my prayers to God are when I come to Him and ask Him for something.
Today, I ask you to help me remember to come back to Him — always, and to thank Him.
Even when He doesn’t answer my prayer in the way that I had hoped. Even when I don’t understand His plan. And even when I don’t feel very grateful.
I ask that you pray for me, St. Anne, to develop this practice of gratitude to our Lord, and that I may learn to thank Him in every circumstance and situation.
Please pray for…
(Mention your intentions here).
But most of all, please pray that I may be open to God’s will the way that you were, and that I will be able to wait with patience, perseverance in faith and hope, and with absolute trust in the Lord’s plan for me. Amen.
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